Fate's Design

Preparing for War

Three days later, the manor was buzzing with activity. There were demons everywhere, talking and arguing, smoking and drinking, laughing and whispering with each other. Half of the manor’s spare rooms were filled. Abaddon left the rest open for Ariel and whomever she might bring back. He hadn't heard anything from her, but he hadn't really expected to. He busied himself with cooking for the demons that had made themselves all too comfortable in the manor and by spending as much time as possible with Kyle. The two of them were often down at the Hellhound kennels, working on commands and controlling the animals. Kyle didn't seem perturbed by the vast number of demons who had suddenly shown up to stay with them. He had wondered where Ariel and her Hellhound had disappeared to after that night, but didn't press the matter. He didn't even ask about his father. He knew something was happening. He knew it was something big.

“Are we getting ready for a fight?” Kyle stopped in the middle of a training session with Abaddon and looked up at him. His eyes questioned the demon.

“Yes. We are getting ready for a war. We have to be ready in case the worst should happen.” Abaddon didn't want to sugar coat it for the boy. This was a smart child who was half demon. He deserved Abaddon’s respect and loyalty. This meant leveling with him.

            “Am I going to learn how to fight?” Kyle was neither excited nor scared. He was somber. He understood what was happening and showed no trace of fear.

“Of course you will, but first I want you to reach your full potential with the Hellhounds. They will be extremely useful during the war.”

Kyle nodded and turned back toward the Hellhound he had been training. “Then let's get going.”

Abaddon smiled and the two continued their training. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon and Abaddon and Kyle were finishing their training. There was a sudden pop as if they'd been sucked through a vacuum. Abaddon Ana Kyle spun around quickly and Kyle’s face split into a huge grin as he took off sprinting toward a disheveled looking group of newcomers. At the front of the group was Ariel, her hair pulled loose from its usually pristine braid, and a sinewy Hellhound. Ariel’s gaunt face lit up at the sight of Kyle running toward her and the two embraced, Ariel sweeping Kyle into her arms as he reached her.

“Ariel! You're back!” Kyle was beyond ecstatic to see his friend.

“I'm happy to have been missed, Kyle. Thank you for letting me bring the Hellhound. He helped me stay safe.”

The embrace broke as Kyle went over to pet the Hellhound. “I'm glad he helped. Did you have to get in any fights?”

Ariel smirked. She looked over at Abaddon as he stepped up beside Kyle and the Hellhound. He smiled at her. The look of relief was plain on his face. “No fights, but a few close calls. I was followed a few times and would've been captured if your Hellhound hadn't stepped in.”

Kyle nodded as if he'd expected nothing less. He looked to Abaddon and then focused his attention to Ariel and the group of at least fifty behind her. Every eye in the group was staring in disbelief at the boy. “Who are all of these people?” He waved to the group behind Ariel as he asked, “Hi everyone! Who are you all?”

The group behind Ariel remained silent for a few moments. Eventually, mine of the group stepped forward, walked up to Kyle and knelt down next to him. “We are angels. My name is Ezekiel. You must be Kyle. Ariel has told us a lot about you. I would be happy to call you a friend.” He reached out a hand to Kyle. The boy looked at Ezekiel’s hand and reached his own, mud-covered hand out to the angel.

“Hi Ezekiel! Nice to meet ya!” The two shook hands vigorously. One by one, the remaining Angels stepped up and introduced themselves to Kyle. He greeted them all welcomingly and with great enthusiasm. It was Kyle’s favorite thing to make new friends.

“Okay! Now that we’re all friends we should get some food. It's definitely dinner time and the rest of my friends should meet you all!”

Abaddon stepped up alongside Kyle. “I think we’re going to need to get some pizzas. As I'm sure you all know, this will be a mixed company house for a while and we are all going to have to work together. I hope everyone is in agreement that we have far more worrisome troubles ahead of us to focus on old prejudices.”

Every one in the group nodded their agreement. It was clear that they'd seen what they were all up against. They were afraid, confused, and angry. Kyle seemed to notice the unease in the group. “I know that I'm just a kid and you have all been around a really long time. I don't know what the monsters we’re fighting are or where they came from. But I know we can beat them. I know it because we actually care what happens and I betcha they don't. So don't be scared. You can be angry but remember that the monsters are out there and it's our job to get rid of them.”

The kid had a talent. Everyone who heard that speech was suddenly calm. Maybe there was a chance after all. Abaddon ruffled Kyle’s hair and started walking toward the manor.

“Alright! Let's get some food and introduce everyone. We've got a war to get ready for!”

They made their way up to the manor, which seemed to have grown since the first night Abaddon had visited. It was as if Lucifer had created it to expand to fit the number of inhabitants it might have. The demons who had made their home there for the past few days looked on as Abaddon, Kyle, and Ariel lead the fifty plus angels to the manor. A lithe, sallow faced demon walked up to the large group as it approached. He held out his hand to Ariel. “Welcome. We're glad to have all of your help for the upcoming war. Hopefully we can all put aside our past quarrels so we can defeat our enemies.”

Ariel took the demon’s hand and set her face grimly. “It is what we all must do. We are no longer enemies here. We were once of the same mind and we must return to that version of ourselves so that we can get rid of the evil that has returned to the world. It is up to us to return balance to the world and ironically enough that requires us to band together and fight against our enemies.”

There was applause and cheering from the small army gathered at the front of the manor. Abaddon stepped up and the crowd went silent. “I'm glad we’re all on the same page here. I heard somewhere that an army runs on its stomach. Why don't we all grab some pizza and break bread together for the first time.”

Kyle, Abaddon, and Ariel lead their troops into the manor to share their first meal as allies. The entire dinner, angels and demons intermingled, chatting amongst each other, reminiscing about the days when they were all on the same team. It was amazing how easily they all fell back into old friendships. There was no animosity between the separate groups even after diligently working against each other for the majority of existence. They were all enjoying catching up with each other. Kyle smiled and then yawned. Abaddon and Ariel quietly put him to bed and went back downstairs to join their troops.

The next day, angels and demons joined together and began training for war. They practiced swordplay, hand-to-hand combat, and use of their respective divine or demonic powers. A handful of trainees joined Abaddon, Ariel. And Kyle at the Hellhound kennels to learn how to control and command them. Kyle would demonstrate what Abaddon was saying and the trainees would follow, attempting to recreate the same scenario. All in all the training was going very well. There were some groups who had more interest in recent human warfare and spent their time mulling over laptops and plans for bombs and mechanical and chemical warfare. These groups of angels and demons were dedicated to making machines and bombs with divine and demonic materials that would assist them in defeating Leviathan and the Titans.

Never before had the armies of Heaven and Hell come together like this to defeat a common enemy. Abaddon definitely didn’t think it could ever even be possible, but here it was happening in front of him. He stepped back and watched the most amazing thing he’d ever seen unfold. It was like a dream “If you build it; they will come,” kind of crap. He still had trouble believing it was real.

“Whatcha thinkin’?” Kyle’s head reached Abaddon’s elbow as he sidled up to his mentor.

“I’m just thinking about how crazy all this is and wondering if it’s even real.”

            He knelt down next to Kyle as he responded to the boy. The two were quite a pair. Whenever he talked with Kyle he liked to be at eye-level with him. It was more like they were partners that way. “Oh! It’s real all right! We’re getting’ ready to fight the bad guys! We’re gonna win too.”

            He said it so matter-of-factly that Abaddon was ready to take it at face value. This kid could make him believe anything he said because everything he said sounded right and true. He was one hundred percent confident in everything he stated. “I would like to think that we will win, Kyle. We have a chance if we keep practicing and everyone works together.”

            Abaddon stood up. Kyle tugged on his shirtsleeve. “Don’t worry. We’re gonna win.”

            He said it with grim determination. There was no question in that statement. He was telling the truth as he knew it to be and for some reason that was comforting to Abaddon.  The boy’s assurance that their group of enemies-turned-allies would come out victorious had a powerful calming effect on him. When Kyle said that they would win he meant it. And Abaddon had noticed that he was not the only one Kyle had this effect on. All of the angels and demons that had met Kyle felt the same way. This, of course, gave Abaddon an idea. He began composing a speech in his head that he would have Kyle read to the troops. In the speech he would put undeniable statements about their victory over Leviathan and the Titans. The angel and demon troops would be calmed and energized by the boy’s words. They would no longer be afraid and timid in the face of almost certain destruction. They would fight with the faith that what they were doing had a predetermined outcome in their favor. They would fight with the knowledge that they would win.

            “That’s enough practice for today!” Abaddon’s voice boomed out over the crowds of sparring supernatural beings. Every face turned toward him, etched with puzzlement.

“We won’t do any good exhausting ourselves. I say we rest and regain our strength for tomorrow’s practice.”

            Ariel had popped up at Abaddon’s side. She smiled wearily through the dirt and sweat covering her once clean skin, clothes, and hair. There was a murmuring of agreement from the troops as they all began putting away the weapons they’d been training with and returning the Hellhounds to their kennels. Abaddon smiled his thanks to Ariel and they walked back to the manor. They walked up the stairs to the front porch and, just as they reached the top step, halogen headlights swept over them as a car pulled into the circular driveway.